N.C. Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center, has launched an online guide to locally produced food, to connect consumers with farmers, gardeners, people who raise livestock and poultry, orchards, beekeepers and nurseries.
The guide provides detailed and up-to-date information, including products and seasonal availability, purchasing and distribution, and the best way to get in touch with each supplier. Listings will be added and updated over time to give an accurate picture of the wealth of food grown in Mitchell and neighboring counties.
“The current uncertainty and disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic have made buying direct from growers more important than ever,” said Eve Kindley, Mitchell County Extension Director. “But buying local always means getting fresher food in season in varieties that aren’t available elsewhere. It keeps money circulating in the area, and it continues our region’s rich history of resourcefulness and self-reliance. And, in the long run, vibrant local agriculture nourishes the health and resilience of communities.”
For apples, beans, beef, blueberries, corn, cucumbers, eggs, ground cherries, kale, kiwis, lettuce, microgreens, mushrooms, onions, peas, persimmons, pork, poultry, ramps, rhubarb, squash, tomatoes and more, visit mitchell.ces.ncsu.edu/mitchell-county-local-foods/.
Call Kindley at 828-688-4811 or send an email to emkindle@ncsu.edu to be included in the Local Food Guide.